The Verrado Vipers will face off against the North Canyon Rattlers at 6:00 p.m. on Monday. Verrado is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.5 runs per game this season.
North Canyon will take on a team with plenty of momentum: Verrado extended their winning streak to three on Friday. The Vipers came within a single run of losing the streak, but they secured a 2-1 W against Willow Canyon.
Verrado's win was truly a team effort as four different players contributed at least one hit. One of them was Braxton Bjur, who went 2-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one double.
Meanwhile, after only one run in their last match, North Canyon made sure to put some runs up on the board against Shadow Mountain on Friday. The Rattlers blew past the Matadors 21-8. The Rattlers not only won on Friday, but they posted their biggest win since March 24th (when they won 17-0).
Mason Hougland looked comfortable as he tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two hits in four consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Brandon Alexander, who went 3-for-5 with four RBI, two runs, and one triple. Those four RBI gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Jacob Kirby, who went 2-for-5 with three runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
North Canyon always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .635. They are 5-2 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Verrado's victory bumped their record up to 17-7-1. As for North Canyon, their win bumped their record up to 10-14.
North Canyon's pitching crew better be locked in on Monday. Verrado hasn't had any problems when it comes to power this season, having averaged 0.4 home runs per game. It's a different story for North Canyon, though, as they've been averaging only 0 home runs. Will they be able to keep Verrado in the park?
Verrado took their victory against North Canyon when the teams last played on April 2nd by a conclusive 11-1 score. Do the Vipers have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Rattlers turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
